Vehicle-tire.



PATENTED OCT. 11. 1904.

J. A. SWINEHART.

VEHICLE TIRE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 2a, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR Y B Y fi: j

WITNESSES A TTORNE Y.

Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. SWINEHART, OF AKRON, OHIO.

VEHICLE-TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 771,947, dated October11, 1904. Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,258. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES A. SWINEHART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Tires; and I dodeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in wheel-tires; and the improvementconsists in the construction of the tire and its associated elements,all substantially as hereinafter shown and described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a tire forvehicle-wheels which can be rigidly secured in place upon the rimthereof, but which will be as readily and easily removed when occasionrequires without injury to the tire or its parts.

Another object is to .provide means within the tire to carry heatthroughout the same, and thereby change the consistency or character ofthe tire or of amaterial within the tire.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a cross-section and perspectiveview of a portion of the tire and the rim upon which it is fastened.Fig. 2 is a side view of a segment of the tire and rim of a wheel,showing the terminals or ends of the embedded wire used for heatingpurposes. Fig. 3 is a reduced cross-section of a tire and rim with asmall tube in place of the wire shown in the other views.

Tire A is made up of solid rubber of such resiliency or yield as isordinarily used, and

the tread is of a U shape; but this shape can:

be variously modified. At the base or inner side of tire A, centrallybeneath the tread.-

portion thereof, is a dovetailed-shaped groove 2, which extendscompletely around the inner circumference of the tire, and a smallerendless groove or recess 3 is formed at each side of the tire, withinwhich the inturned edges 4 of rim B are adapted to fit when the tire ispressed into place. Said rim is shown as having an inner fiat bottom 5,with upwardly-flaring edges or walls 6, ending with the inturned edges4:. Rim B maybe of metal or wood, or both, and may be variously formedor shaped without departing from the spirit of my invention. Groove 2 oftire A is of such relative depth and width as to permit portions 7 ofsaidtire to be pressed inward between edges 4 of rim B when the tire iseither secured upon the rim or removed therefrom. Cross-wires or wirenails 8' are embedded within portions? and project into groove 2, andthe outer end of said nails 8 extend to a point beneath side grooves 3.These wires or nails are driven in from the sides at intervals allaround the tire and serve to give the rubber solidity and strength at apoint where the outward pull and strain upon the tire is greatest.

The construction as described up to this point serves in a measure tolock the tire in (place upon the rim; but to completely and effectivelysecure the same in place against accidental stripping or removal Iutilize a fusible cement or other like medium 9, which hardens ofitself, or a material such as rubber, which can be cured by heat andhardened after the tire is in place upon the rim, and I place saidcement or rubber in groove 2 while it is soft and pliable. In the eventthat a fusible cementis utilized groove 2 is completely filledtherewith, and while it is stillin a pliable or softened state the tireis squeezed or pressed into place between edges 4. After the cement hashardened the filledin groove 2 becomes in reality a solid core, whichlooks side portions 7 of tire A in place between the sides and beneathedges 4 of rim B; but it is desirable in many instances to remove tire Afrom rim B without injuring said tire or rim, and to that end a wire 10is threaded or inserted the full length of groove 2 before the cement orretaining compound is placed therein, and the terminals 11 of the wireextend through the rim at any suitable point where electricalconnections can be made to send a current of electricity through wire 10to heat the same. Usually a current governing or regulating device isattached to one terminal and a live feed-wire to the other terminal.Heating of wire 10 when thus accomplished will fuse the cement withingroove would be used to heat and cure the same to 2 and reduce it againto a pliable state, which then permitsthe removal of tireAfrom rim B.

.An obvious equivalent for a heating member within groove 2 is shown inFig. 3, wherein a tube 12 takes the place of wire 10 and through which aheating agent is forced to accomplish the same result as heretoforedescribed.

If desired, uncured rubber or rubber cement or any equivalent materialcan be used in place of a self-hardening cement or compound, and in thisevent Wire 10 or tube 12 reduce it to a hardened state. It will thus beseen that the application of heat to the material within groove 2 eitherhardens or softens the material, and this is dependent upon thecharacteror composition of the material used.

The invention broadly embraces the tire and a heat-conducting membertherein and an inner core of material" adapted to be changed inbodilyconsistency by the application of heat. Thus it is possible to take atube-tire and place within it a wire or tube which iscovered or wrappedwith uncured mixed sponge-rubber and by the application of heat throughthe wire or tube cure said spongerubber within the tire. In this casecompressed-air chambers will be formed within the tire, as is found inrubber sponges, and the air thus confined in a multiplicity of airchambers or cells will give a tire thus treated substantially the sameresiliency as a singletube tire. Another advantage of this constructionrests in its durability and-in its noncollapsible qualities,becausewhenpunctured theair released fromone or a few smallchambers orcells would. not affect the tire as a whole'or place it out ofcommission.

What I claim is- 1. The tire anda core therefor adapted'to be changed incharacter by the application of heat, and means within said tire to heatsaid core, substantially as described.

2-. In vehicle-wheels, the tire and a rim for supporting saidtire, aheating member around said rim at the base of said tire and=a lockingmediunrwithin the rim and tire comprising a material changeable in bodywhen subjected to heat, substantially as described.

3; A vehicle-tire of rubber provided with-a continuous groove about itsinner circumference and alocking medium therein of variable consistencyand a series of stifi'ening-pieces disposed? at intervals laterallythrough said? tireand having their inner ends embedded in said lockingmedium, substantially as described.

4:. As an. article of manufacture, avehicletire-of solid rubber providedwith-stiffening cross-wires embedded therein, an endless groove at thebase of said tire, cement filling said'groove, and a: heating memberconfined the fulllength of said groovein said cement,

substantially as described;

5. The combination ofva tire with a vehicle rim, channels to confine thebase of said tire, a groove in said tire between the sides of said rim,a locking material of changeable consistency in said groove, and aheating member embedded in said material and having terminals extendingoutside said tire for heating connections, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a rubber tire with a vehicle-rim to support thesame, a groove in the base of said tire, stifiening members embedded insaid tire at eachside of said groove, a locking medium of changeableconsistency in said groove, a-nd'a-heat-conveying member within saidgroove, substantially as described.

7 In vehicle-tires, a rubber tireha-ving anendless groove and a-lockingmediumof variable consistency engagedin said groove, a rim supportingsaid the and locked thereon: along its sides-and stiffening-pieces forsaid tireengaged at one end withinthe edge of saidband and at the otherend in said locking medium,

substantially as described.

8. As an article of manufacture, a solidrubber tire provided with. anendless groove at its base-and cement therein, a continuous lgroovearoundthe tire atv each side thereof,

i stiffening-wires in said the beneath. said side grooves, and ametallicban'd withinsaid'groove having heat connecting terminals, substan-]tially as described.

9. A vehicle-tire comprising a channeled rim, a rubber tire restingtherein having a' l groove-to contains a locking compound, a plilgablecement confined: within. said groove and grim, and a heating elementwithin: said tire 1 having heat connectionsoutsidesaidtire,.sub-

3 stantially as described.

3 10; The vehicle-rim1 rovided-'with inturnedi 1 edges, incombinationwith a: rubber tire'seated' ;within said rim and engaged'ateach side by jsaid edges,.'a circumferential channel: in: the

, base of saidtire, and a hardening-fillerforsaid ichannel adapted toloclt saidtire' within and beneath the edges of said? rim, substantiallyas i described.

11. In vehicle-tires, a rubbertire having a:

7 continuous channel at itsinner circumference,

in combination with\ a rim. having inturned edges engaging the tirealong its-sides, metallic stiifening devices extending laterally throughsaid: tiretrom. the sides beneathisaid rims and with'their-innerendsprojecting'into said channel, and meanswithin said channel adaptedto lock said devices againstv inward movement and tohold saidtire inplace within {said rim, substantially as described;

i 1 2'. In:vehicle-tires,a rubber tire having an' endlesschannelcentrally in its innercircumzference of greatest widtlratitsbase-and'wit-h converging side walls,-and a locking medium ofchangeableconsistency insaidi groove and stiffening devices for: thetire engagedl at one end in said-medium, substantially asdescribed'.

13; In vehicle-tires,aa rubber tirehaving a the base of said tire,stiffening devices embedded in said tire at each side of said groove anda locking medium of changeable consistency in said groove, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twoWitnesses.

JAMES A. SWINEHART.

Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, A. N. MOSER.

Minn-at

